Not all power is created equal

Battery companies are quickly coming to realize that as new technologies continue to emerge, power solutions cannot be a one-size-fits-all commodity. There is no single battery for every situation, but instead a myriad of choices to accommodate even the most complex requirements. Below are five common videographer or photographer scenarios with the corresponding power option that will best fit the situations' needs.

Shooting via Gimbal/Drone

When using either a gimbal or drone, size (or lack thereof) is imperative for any user. These setups tend to be highly susceptible to additional weight, which can negatively affect shoots. Balance is critical for achieving steady footage. Look for a slim battery that measures in at less than 4" x 6" x 1.5" and fewer than 1.5 lbs. Also, keep in mind monitoring the batteries' power during these particular shoots is critical; a runtime LCD that tells you how long the battery powering your camera will last is a necessity, or that broadcast drone becomes a very expensive RC helicopter.

Tripod

Tripod users have the extra support of the tripod system itself to allow for larger draw cameras, but still need to be aware of the total equipment weight in order to be able to move the system to capture different angles. A 150Wh battery provides the power needed for large draw cameras while still being mobile enough to not weigh the user down. Look for a battery with a runtime LCD screen that allows users to plan their shoots and never miss a precious moment. Overall, a 150Wh battery delivers the most value and ROI for those who require battery packs to stand the test of time and deliver unrivaled performance.

Cinema

Users that shoot for the cinema field are often planted in one place and are shooting from morning until night, or even longer. In these cases, the runtime is the most important consideration when looking for the right power format. In these cases, size is no object, but being able to power multiple cameras and accessories are paramount. Users might look to a multi-battery block setup, whether it is a dual or quad system that can provide up to eight hours of runtime on one charge.

Electronic News Gathering (ENG)

ENG users are all about run-and-gun applications where the battery needs to reflect their lifestyle. They need to strike the perfect balance of both size and weight, especially if they are carrying their system to follow a story. Without having the added support of a tripod, like the users mentioned above, these types of photographers and videographers must be wary that those extra pounds add up if their camera accessories are cumbersome. They also should consider that they may not have time to charge multiple batteries while chasing a story. A 98Wh battery should do the trick. We find that these types of batteries strike the perfect balance between maneuverability and power. One or two should be able to power these users through a shoot without weighing them down.

Action

Action photographers and videographers are the most self-reliant of any user on this list. They often find themselves all over the world in the most remote locations possible, and frequently far from an electrical outlet. Typically, these users will seek out heavy-power draw cameras such as a RED or ARRI. And while they bring the cameras along for the ride, traveling with any battery now is difficult as a result of last year's new air safety regulations. Requirements now are that all Li-Ion battery packs must be at or below 30 percent charge when flying. Once you couple this with the already established size limits of eight grams of equivalent lithium per battery, which is a maximum capacity of 98Wh, traveling with power solutions can become a hassle. These users need a battery that can supply large power draws while still being within the established limits of size and weight. An ideal choice would be a battery that has a two-part 95Wh design (for a total of 190Wh), allowing for the legal travel of the Li-Ion cells, as well as a storage mode that puts the battery to sleep at the 30 percent charging mark.

At Core SWX, we embrace the challenge of creating products that are specific to our users' needs. We look forward to seeing what new and exciting challenges our customers bring to the table as the power industry continues to evolve.

PAG Batteries at NAB 2014

Zylight on BroadcastShow LIVE at IBC 2013

Anton Bauer at NAB 2012

Matrox DSX Core at NAB 2016

Sencore at IBC2011

Pixel Power LIVE at BVE 2016

First announced at NAB 2016, the Sony HDC-4800 is a studio camera system capable of shooting 4K/UHD at up to 8x or full HD at up to 16x. With a price point upwards of £250,000 it is a very high-end product with a wide feature set. In Sony's own words, "This is the future of live production, designed to satisfy the storytelling aspect of modern sports production.” Deliveries began in mid 2017 and, after careful preliminary evaluation, we invested in several systems for our hire fleet ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

As OTT (Over-The-Top) technology has gotten more mature and established robust standards over the years, the concept of OTT monitoring is gaining popularity. With customer expectations soaring, it’s vital for OTT providers to deliver superior quality content. To deliver Quality of Experience (QoE) on par with linear TV broadcast, the entire system, starting from ingest to multi-bitrate encoding to delivery to CDN must be monitored continuously.

Your viewers love you. You consistently bring them their preferred channels 24/7. They’ve come to rely on you for their viewing pleasure. They never miss cheering on their beloved sports teams. They’re the envy of their friends as they watch live concerts of their favourite bands. They gather the family around and catch up on their must-see shows. They don’t have a bad word to say about you.

“What is it about light that has us craving it?” Is the question asked in the opening seconds of Garth de Bruno Austin’s latest short, The Colour of Light.
Exploring this natural, human need as well as our innate desire to control it, Garth’s film showcases everyday people going about their lives in differing degrees of luminance, whether that be an artificial streetlight or a natural morning sunrise.

In today’s rapidly evolving broadcast industry, the only constant media organizations can truly count on is change — and the need to adapt as rapidly and cost-effectively as possible. One of the biggest agents of change is the IP revolution, driving broadcasters to migrate their operations to all-software solutions running on commodity, IT-based technologies.

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